Automatic feeding-regulator.



N9. 718,942. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903. F. WOERNER. AUTOMATIC FEEDING REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1901. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE nonms PETERS co. PHOTOLITKQ. WASHINGTON, n. c

No. 718,942. PATENTED. JAN. 20, 1903.

P. WOERNER. I

AUTOMATIC FEEDING REGULATOR.

. APPLICATION rum) r1113. 9, 1901. 1x0 IODEL. 2 sums-3mm 2.

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FRITZ WOERNER, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,942, dated. January 20, 1903.

Application filed February 9, 1901. Serial No. 46,707. No m l- T0 aZZ whom it vita/y concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ WOERNER, a subject of the German Emperor, and a resident of Hamburg, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

Various feeding regulators are known which act on the principle that as soon as the fluid-for instance, the water-in a steamboiler sinks below a certain level steam can gain access to an apparatus which thereby expands and in so doing opens the valve of the feed-pipe or of the steam-pipe leading to the feed-pump, and as soon as the requisite water-level is reached the steam is shut off from the expanding apparatus, causing the latter to contract, and thereby close the valve of either the feed-pipe or steam-pipe leading to the feed-pump. The present invention is based on a similar automatic or self-acting feeding apparatus; but the expanding arrangement used in this case consists of a hollow body closed on all sides filled with a suitable fluid. The body thus filled with a fluid and preferably in the form of a tube curved in horseshoe shape even when of very small dimensions causes a considerable lift of the valve when arranged as shown in the present invention, thus permitting the construction of such automatic feeding-regulator of small size-in fact, just as small asthe steam-gages, water-gages, and other boiler-fittings in general use. Although capable of being constructed of such small dimensions, these new feeding-regulators enable the requisite variations of temperature to act in quick succession even when fitted quite close to the boiler.

In the accompanying drawings the object of the invention is represented in Figure 1 in one preferred form of construction in a vertical sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section of the upper part of the feeding-regulator on the line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation showing a modification of the feeding-regulator. Fig. 4 is a Vertical section at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the feeding regulator as fitted to a steam-boiler, this feeding-regulator being of somewhat different construction to that represented in Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional elevation referring to a further modification of the feeding-regulator, and Fig. 7 refers to an arrangement by means of which the expansion of the tube filled with fluid is caused indirectly through the heating of a body of water which is not in communication with the boiler.

According to the arrangement represented by Figs. 1 and 2 the tube 1, filled with a fluid ffor instance, benzin-and curved to a semicircle, is fixed at its lower extremity 3 in a case 2 to the end of the screw-bolt 4, which is carried by the bracket 6, the latter being screwed into the case 2, the screw-bolt 4 being adjustable by means of the nuts 5, this arrangement allowing the tube 1 to be set and adjusted as required, whereas the spindle 7 of the valve 8 presses Without connection against the upper extremity of the curved tube 1. The spindle 7 is movable in a gland attached to the case 2. The valve 8 is inserted in the tube 9, the latter conducting the feed-Water, which is supplied under sufficient pressure, to the boiler, or the tube 9 forms part of a steam-pipe which leads from the boiler to a steam feed-pump, to an injector, 85c. Likewise the expansion of the curved tube can be utilized to close an electric circuit in case the feed-pump is driven by an electromotor. The case 2 is supported by a closed vessel 10, which is attached to the boiler by means of the tubes 11 and 12 at such a height that the middle of the vessel coincides with the normal level of the water in the boiler. Thus both water and steam enter through the tubes 11 and 12 into the vessel 10, which contains a float 18. The latter keeps the tube 15, which enters the case 2 at a suitable place, closed by means of the valve 14:, which is attached to its upper end; but if the waterlevel in the boiler sinks-t. a, if the boiler requires feedingthen the sinking float 13, with its attached valve 14, allows steam to enter the case 2, thus heating the fluid contained in the tube 1 and causing it to expand and lift the valve 8. The latter will now remain open until the gradual filling 0f the boiler with feed-water causes the float to rise and close the valve 14, thus allowing tube 1 to cool and contract, and thus to close the valve 8. The condensed steam which will have collected in the case 2 can run 01f through tube 16 to any suitable outlet.

The modification of the automatic feedingregulator, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, allows a rotary motion of the spindle of the cut-off valve. In this case both ends of the expansion-tube 1 are closed and curve downward, whereas the center of the tube is fixed to the case 2. These closed ends are connected movably by means of jointed levers to the pivots 19 20 of a disk 21, the latter being keyed onto a shaft 22, which latter passes through a stuffing-box, (gland) In all other respects the arrangement and action of this modification is the same as of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When steam gains access to the tube 1, the two limbs of the lat-' ter expand and cause the cam (disk) to rotate in the direction of the arrow. The flattened or squared end of said shaft can slide in a groove 23, which runs or is cut right through the center of the disk 21. This ,is to permit free expansion of both limbs of the tube 1. The shaft 22 can also serve as the spindle of the valve, in which case it is furnished with a quick (steep) thread, and the latter actuates a nut which is attached immovably to the valve itself; but in case the cut-off valve has a screw-spindle which lifts with the valve then the spindle is connected (coupled) to the shaft 22 in such a manner that the end of the valve-spindle has a pin through it which can move to and fro in the end of the shaft 22, said end being tubular and furnished with a double slit for that purpose.

As all important parts of the improved feeding-regulator come in contact with the steam only, any detrimental efiect through incrustation or rust formed by condensation-water is impossible, as, as far as the latter is concerned, all condensation-water formed can run off through pipe 16, and, further, the case 2 is always so warm that in no case moisture can be presentin the same. In case tube 1 is filled (charged) with benzin, the

boiling-point of which lies at about 90 centigrade, and in consequence of the small capacity of said tube, the instant the float allows steam to enter into the case the former will cause the benzin to boil, and thus expand the tube; but as soon as valve 14 closes the rapid condensation of the benzin causes the tube to contract at once.

The float 13 can be dispensed with entirely if the arrangement as exemplified by Fig. 5 is adopted. According to this method the lower part of the case 2, containing tube 1, is connected with the boiler 32 by the pipe 24 and in communication with the steam of the boiler bythe pipe 25. The case 2 is placed at such a height that during the normal waterlevel in the boiler the expansion-tube l is entirely immersed in water; but in consequence of the position of case 2 the water contained in the latter has a much lower temperature than that in the boiler. Thus the benzin contained in tube 1 cannot reach the boilingpoint until at low water in the boiler steam gains access to tube 1 by means of pipe 25.

To avoid the friction ensuing through the employment of a gland (stuffing-box) for the passage of the valve-spindle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the arrangement, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is the following: Case 2 is separated from the valve-box 26 by a partition 27, which is pierced, so as to allow a spindle 7 to pass loosely through. Around this opening is arranged a vessel 28, in horizontal projection ring-shaped, which is filled with mercury,(quicksilver.) Dippinginto the latter a bell 29 is fixed to the valve-spindle. The feed-water-supply pipe 30 and its continuation 31, which conducts the feed-water to the boiler, are both attached to the valvebox 26. As the latter is always full of water, the pressure on the quicksilver contained in the vessel 28 outside the bell 29 is always the same as the pressure acting from case 2 on the quicksilver inside the bell. On the same principle of outer and inner balance the quicksilver seal could be replaced by a membrane. In the construction as shown in Fig. 5 the feeding regulator is intentionally drawn too large in proportion to the steamboiler. arranged in the manner that tube 1 when expanding opens the steam-pipe 33, which leads to the steam feed-pump. In this case the employment of the gland 34 cannot well be dispensed with.

The arrangements illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6 can be modified in such a manner that the two limbs of the expansion-tube lie in a horizontal plane and are placed only slightly below the normal water-level in the case 2. With this construction it would be advisable to transmit the motion of the expansiontube in such a manner to the Valve-spindle that it causes the latter to rotate, as exemplified by Figs. 3 and 4:. v

In order to avoid excessive heating of the case 2 where high-pressure boilers are used, the feed-regulator can be actuated by means of the circulation of the boiler-water. In this case, as shown in Fig. 7, the case containing the expansion-tube is placed two or three feet higher than the boiler. In the position of the lowest water-level a cylindrical vessel 35 is fixed at a height that it can be connected by tubes 36 and 37 with both the steam and the water of the boiler, but is full of water at normal water-level. Fixed in the lid of 35 is another closed vessel 38, which projects out of the lid of 35 about a quarter of its height, (of 38.) This Vessel made of, preferably, thin sheet-copper is in communication with case 2 by means of the tubes 39 and 40, tube 40 reaching nearly to the bottom of vessel 38, whereas 39 merely just enters the top lid. The Vessel 38, the tubes 39 and 40, and also case 2 are now filled with water high enough to entirely immerse tube 1. This is done by means of funnel-pipe 42, which is fitted with a screw-plug. When the waterlevel sinks in the boiler, and consequently also in vessel 35, then steam can enter the Fig. 6 shows a construction which is vessel through pipe 36, and thus heat the water contained in the inserted vessel 38. The water thus heated rises up into case 2 through pipe 40, causing at first the cold water which was hitherto in 2 to descend, and thus starting a circulation of the Water. When the latter has acquired the requisite heat, tube 1 expands in such a manner that one of its limbs presses against the spindle 7 of the feed-Water valve 43, and thus opens the latter. The feed-water can now enter the boiler through pipe 44, and valve 43 remains open until the rising water-level shuts off the flow of steam through pipe 36 to vessel 35. Then the water contained in the pipes 39 and 40 cools down again, and the contracting tube 1 causes the shutting off of the feed-valve. In this latter drawing tube 1 is represented as being fixed in its center, in which case the other limb can act on'a valve 45, which is in communication with the steam of the boiler 47 by way of pipe 46. The opening of this valve would cause a steam-whistle to sound.

The expansion of tube 1 when utilized to cause a rotary motion, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, can also be used to actuate the damper of a furnace, in which case tube 1 may be heated by the circulation of steam, water, or gases. A filled membrane can also be substituted in place of tube 1.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. An automatic boiler-feed device, comprising a casing, a sealed tube secured therein, a pipe to direct steam on said tube, a valve operated by the sealed tube and a float-valve actuated by the variation of the level of the boiler -water to control the flow of steam through said pipe, substantially as set forth.

2. An automatic boiler-feed device, comprising a casing, a bent sealed tube therein containing an expansible fluid, a cut-0E valve actuated by an end of said tube, a curved steam-pipe to project steam on said tube, a closed vessel connected to the steam and water spaces of the boiler and a float in said vese sel, said float controlling the admission of steam to said steam-pipe, substantially as set forth.

3. An automatic boiler-feed device, comprising a casing having a flange at its bottom, a bent sealed tube containing an expansible fluid secured in said casing, a cut-off valve, both ends of said tube operatively connected to said valve to actuate it, a steam-pipe in the flange to direct steam on the tube, a closed vessel connected to the steam and water spaces of the boiler and a float therein, said float controlling the admission of steam to said pipe, substantially as'set forth.

4. An automatic boiler-feed device, comprising a suitable casing, a bent sealed tube secured midway of its ends therein and containing an expansible fluid, valve mechanism and both ends of said tube organized to operate said mechanism, and means for causing a heating fluid to cause the movement of said tube ends to actuate the valve mechanism by reason of a drop in the boiler waterlevel, substantially as set forth.

FRITZ 'WOERNER.

Witnesses:

MAX KAEMPFF, E. H. L. MUMMENHOFF. 

